1“Prophets or interpreters of dreams may promise a miracle or a wonder, 2in order to lead you to worship and serve gods that you have not worshiped before. Even if what they promise comes true, 3do not pay any attention to them. The Lord your God is using them to test you, to see if you love the Lord with all your heart. 4Follow the Lord and honor him; obey him and keep his commands; worship him and be faithful to him. 5But put to death any interpreters of dreams or prophets that tell you to rebel against the Lord, who rescued you from Egypt, where you were slaves. Such people are evil and are trying to lead you away from the life that the Lord has commanded you to live. They must be put to death, in order to rid yourselves of this evil.

6“Even your brother or your son or your daughter or the wife you love or your closest friend may secretly encourage you to worship other gods, gods that you and your ancestors have never worshiped. 7Some of them may encourage you to worship the gods of the people who live near you or the gods of those who live far away. 8But do not let any of them persuade you; do not even listen to them. Show them no mercy or pity, and do not protect them. 9Kill them! Be the first to stone them, and then let everyone else stone them too. 10Stone them to death! They tried to lead you away from the Lord your God, who rescued you from Egypt, where you were slaves. 11Then all the people of Israel will hear what happened; they will be afraid, and no one will ever again do such an evil thing.

12“When you are living in the towns that the Lord your God gives you, you may hear 13that some worthless people of your nation have misled the people of their town to worship gods that you have never worshiped before. 14If you hear such a rumor, investigate it thoroughly; and if it is true that this evil thing did happen, 15then kill all the people in that town and all their livestock too. Destroy that town completely. 16Bring together all the possessions of the people who live there and pile them up in the town square. Then burn the town and everything in it as an offering to the Lord your God. It must be left in ruins forever and never again be rebuilt. 17Do not keep for yourselves anything that was condemned to destruction, and then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger and show you mercy. He will be merciful to you and make you a numerous people, as he promised your ancestors, 18if you obey all his commands that I have given you today, and do what he requires.